United Civil Party of Belarus
Encyclopedia
The United Civil Party of Belarus is a centre-right
, liberal-conservative party in Belarus
. The party opposes the government of Alexander Lukashenko
, generally participates in the country's elections, but doesn't have a single member in parliament. It claims its lack of seats is due to the unfairness of the election process, a claim to which international election monitors have lent some credence.
The party's chairman is Anatoly Lebedko
; its deputy chairman is Alexander Dabravolski
and Jaroslav Romanchuk
. Lebedko represents the party most visibly in both domestic and international settings, and has been involved in numerous altercations with the Belarusian authorities; see Anatoly Lebedko
for details.
At the last legislative elections
, 13–17 October 2004, the party was part of the People's Coalition 5 Plus
, which did not secure any seats.
According to the OSCE
/ODIHR Election Observation Mission http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2004/12/3951_en.pdf, these elections fell significantly short of OSCE commitments. Universal principles and constitutionally guaranteed rights of expression, association and
assembly were seriously challenged, calling into question the Belarusian authorities’ willingness to
respect the concept of political competition on a basis of equal treatment. According to this mission principles of an inclusive democratic process, whereby citizens have the right to seek political office without discrimination, candidates to
present their views without obstruction, and voters to learn about them and discuss them freely, were
largely ignored.
UCP is an observer member of the European People's Party
(EPP).
In 1995-2000 youth organisation of UCP was "Civil Forum", which left UCP during Parliamentary elections of 2000
, when UCP bycotted it. Culadzimer Novosiad, chairman of Civil Forum got a place in Parliament than.
In 2000-2000 youth organisation called itself "UCP Youth", but was rather an artificial structure in the party.
In 200-2009 YCSU Young Democrats
was officially a youth wing of UCP, but in February 2009 at the congress of YCSU Young Democrats
a decision to stop cooperating with party was taken.
Some members of YCSU Young Democrats did not support the decision to restrain cooperation with United Civil Party, left YCSU Young Democrats, and stayed as UCP Youth.
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
, liberal-conservative party in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. The party opposes the government of Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
, generally participates in the country's elections, but doesn't have a single member in parliament. It claims its lack of seats is due to the unfairness of the election process, a claim to which international election monitors have lent some credence.
The party's chairman is Anatoly Lebedko
Anatoly Lebedko
Anatoly Lebedko is a Belarusian politician and the head of the United Civil Party of Belarus.Born in the village of Triles, then part of the Stoŭbtsy Raion in the USSR's Minsk voblast , Lebedko emerged in the 1990s as one of the leading critics of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, whom...
; its deputy chairman is Alexander Dabravolski
Alexander Dabravolski
Alexander Alherdavich Dabravolski is a Belarusian politician.He is Director of the East European School of Political Studies, a member of the Political Council of the United Civil Party, a lawyer, and a radio physicist.-Education and family:Dabravolski attended Belarusian State University...
and Jaroslav Romanchuk
Jaroslav Romanchuk
Jaroslav Cheslavovich Romanchuk is a Belarusian libertarian economist and politician.He currently works as President of the Scientific Research Mises Center and is Deputy Chairman of the United Civil Party of Belarus....
. Lebedko represents the party most visibly in both domestic and international settings, and has been involved in numerous altercations with the Belarusian authorities; see Anatoly Lebedko
Anatoly Lebedko
Anatoly Lebedko is a Belarusian politician and the head of the United Civil Party of Belarus.Born in the village of Triles, then part of the Stoŭbtsy Raion in the USSR's Minsk voblast , Lebedko emerged in the 1990s as one of the leading critics of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, whom...
for details.
At the last legislative elections
Elections in Belarus
Belarus elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. The National Assembly has two chambers...
, 13–17 October 2004, the party was part of the People's Coalition 5 Plus
People's Coalition 5 Plus
The People's Coalition 5 Plus was a political alliance in Belarus, that opposed the regime of president Alexander Lukashenko.At the last legislative elections, 13–17 October 2004, the alliance won no seats....
, which did not secure any seats.
According to the OSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
/ODIHR Election Observation Mission http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2004/12/3951_en.pdf, these elections fell significantly short of OSCE commitments. Universal principles and constitutionally guaranteed rights of expression, association and
assembly were seriously challenged, calling into question the Belarusian authorities’ willingness to
respect the concept of political competition on a basis of equal treatment. According to this mission principles of an inclusive democratic process, whereby citizens have the right to seek political office without discrimination, candidates to
present their views without obstruction, and voters to learn about them and discuss them freely, were
largely ignored.
UCP is an observer member of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
(EPP).
Structure
UCP has a Women organisation and a Youth Organisation in its structure.In 1995-2000 youth organisation of UCP was "Civil Forum", which left UCP during Parliamentary elections of 2000
Belarusian parliamentary election, 2000
Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus on 15 October 2000, with further rounds of voting on 29 October, 18 March and 1 April. The vast majority of successful candidates, 94 of 110, were independents. Voter turnout was reported to be 61.08%....
, when UCP bycotted it. Culadzimer Novosiad, chairman of Civil Forum got a place in Parliament than.
In 2000-2000 youth organisation called itself "UCP Youth", but was rather an artificial structure in the party.
In 200-2009 YCSU Young Democrats
YCSU Young Democrats
Youth Christian Social Union Young Democrats is a Christian democratic youth organisation from Belarus. Since 2004 it has a permanent observer status in the Youth of the European People's Party...
was officially a youth wing of UCP, but in February 2009 at the congress of YCSU Young Democrats
YCSU Young Democrats
Youth Christian Social Union Young Democrats is a Christian democratic youth organisation from Belarus. Since 2004 it has a permanent observer status in the Youth of the European People's Party...
a decision to stop cooperating with party was taken.
Some members of YCSU Young Democrats did not support the decision to restrain cooperation with United Civil Party, left YCSU Young Democrats, and stayed as UCP Youth.
External links
- United Civil Party official site